Although the studies carried out in recent years have provied much new information about channel widths and alignment, they are not consistent in their results. In addition, as a result of variations in local condition and type of traffic accommodated, the dimensions of the channel widths vary over a wide range. Therefore, the recommendation made by the maritime engineering organizations over the world, do not offer detailed and decisive optimal design criteria and are all different. It, therefore, was attempted in this paper to draw a decisive guideline on the optimal widths and alignment of the navigational channels, which can be utilized by the port designers at the stage of the planning. The guideline was drawn through the comparison and analysis of the existing guidelines of the U.S.A, Japan and PIANC and simulation experiment. The simulation experiment was carried out using the "Off Line Port and Waterway Design Simulator" to find the optimal dimensions of the widths of the navigational channels. 90 different simulation runs were conducted at the 3 different secenario channels. New guidelines, the result of the study, is expected to be used usefully by the Korean port designers when designing the rapodly developing ports in Korea. in Korea.

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